


Robert And Cain In Robert's Car

by theprincessed



Series: Village Talk [3]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Advice, Awkward Conversations, Episode Related, Gen, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-16
Updated: 2016-03-16
Packaged: 2018-05-27 03:26:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6267652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theprincessed/pseuds/theprincessed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After being seemingly rebuffed by the Dingles, Robert leaves The Woolpack calmly before getting an unexpected visitor who changes everything…</p>
<p>Set between Robert leaving the pub the first time and just before the canon scene at the end with him and Aaron. (15th March 2016)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Robert And Cain In Robert's Car

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn’t planning on doing another one of these for a while then last night’s episode happened and my brain started working this morning and TA-DA! I just fancied filling in the gaps a bit.
> 
> Hope you enjoy x

Robert leaves The Woolpack swiftly and walks around the corner to where his Porsche is parked and stops. He had an inkling that his visit to tell Aaron that Vic had mentioned the plea hearing would be a flying one, but the speed of Chas' rebuff surprised even him, especially since he'd made every effort to include her in his suggestion as he spoke directly to Aaron. 

He stares at the car keys in his hand and tries to mentally shake away his disappointment, an extra layer of irritation at himself also present. It feels wrong to be any kind of selfish when Aaron's going through such a tough time and reacting negatively to being shut out sits uncomfortably in his chest. It's like an old pair of boots that are falling apart, all too fragile, but familiar and ultimately comforting. It's a small victory yet again in a personal battle that he chose to walk away calmly instead of giving in to the temptation of old habits of hurling insults and storming out, even if it feels like a temporary surrender. He's rallying against Chas' view of him and likely always will to some degree, but the chance to be there for Aaron, in whatever capacity he wants and needs, is worth fighting anyone for, Aaron's mother no exception.

Robert turns around with renewed confidence to go back into the pub, but his heart leaps into his throat to find Cain standing right behind him, hands in the pockets of his leather jacket and an unreadable look on his face that soon tilts into a faint smirk as he takes a step backwards.

“I thought about calling for ya, but where's the fun in that?” he says, getting out of his personal space.

Robert breathes out as subtly as he can, heart still thumping wildly, and squares his shoulders. “Oh and you're all about the fun,” he sneers, switching on the swagger and the mask as his brain scrambles to understand what's happening.

“Don't you know it, sunshine,” he winks and Robert's gaze flickers everywhere, trying to see if there are any witnesses to their conversation. There are, people out walking their dogs in the middle of the afternoon and laden down with bags of shopping, but no one he actually knows well enough if he needs to yell for help. He looks at Cain again when Cain sighs and shifts, as if sensing Robert's poorly concealed nerves. He walks around to the passenger door of Robert's car. “Well? Get in.”

Robert blinks at him, incredulous. “What?”

“Do you really want to make me repeat myself?” Cain replies, an eyebrow raised tauntingly.

Robert unlocks the car and it's entirely weird as he joins him, both of them dressed in leather like comrades in unsavoury arms. He frowns, but Cain opens his mouth before he can stand up to him.

“I don't want Chas seeing us talking and get the wrong idea,” he admits quietly, his voice a touch softer than Robert's ever heard it.

It takes him a moment but a thought soon occurs as Cain coming out to speak to him starts to make sense. “You don't want her to think we're having a go at each other or,” he adds slowly, making him grin, “Worst yet, plotting together behind her back,”

“Listen, Sugden,” he bristles, confirming his suspicions, “My sister's got enough on her plate at the moment. She might've a big mouth, but she's just trying to protect our Aaron and she doesn't need - ”

“ - To be worrying about me butting in,” Robert interrupts, “I get it, alright? The Dingles always close ranks when something happens. Now you've warned me off, you can get out my car. Please.”

He puts the key in the ignition ready, but Cain catches his arm as his hands rest on the steering wheel. Robert looks at his hand clamped onto his jacket then up to his face, waiting for an explanation or things to get physical. “ _No_. Let her worry about Aaron and _I'll_ worry about you.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better about her shutting me out? Because it's not.” 

With a humourless breath of laughter and a shake of his head, he knows it's a confession of his own selfishness and a tad whiny, but Cain opening a dialogue with him for the first time besides the awkward sort of thanks outside the pub a few weeks ago is strangely liberating as they share common goals of protecting the people they care about the most.

Cain rolls his eyes and squeezes Robert's arm on the side of too rough, coming closer. “Then how about you grow a pair for once in your life and remember why we're all doing this.”

Robert wants to snap that Aaron _is_ all he thinks about now, so much that sometimes it keeps him awake at night more than the failure of his marriage and impending divorce, but it's a step too revealing. He's carrying a torch for someone who is nowhere near ready to reciprocate and whilst he's failing to keep his honest feelings buried in the boxes he once had in his mind, he doesn't need the whole village to realise before _he's_ ready for it that that's the case, least of all Aaron's family and a loose cannon like Cain. He hasn't forgotten what happened the last time Aaron's uncle got his hands on a juicy secret. Things have changed dramatically since then, but Robert's still on the precipice of potential loss.

He hums non-committal and shrugs Cain off his arm, waiting for the other man to get out of his car and leaning his forehead on the steering wheel once he's finally alone. He takes a second to breathe deep and sort his thoughts before knowing what he has to do and bizarrely who he has to thank.

He pulls his phone out from his jeans pocket and opens up a new blank text message.

\----

Robert stands up straight, relaxes his shoulders and scratches his fingers through the short hair at the back of his head, trying for casual when an elderly couple mutter a quiet apology so they can get past. This is what Aaron has reduced him to, constantly loitering outside rooms and buildings!

A voice in his head that irritatingly sounds like Cain berates him for being a coward, so he clenches his jaw and pushes through the door. He strides up to Chas by the bar and orders two pints, daring her to say something. She turns her nose up slightly, but nothing else and Robert licks his lips to hide his smile. He never thought he'd see the day where Cain was right and, moreso, that he'd agree with him. 

He picks a booth, a place closest to the back rooms to give Aaron an escape route should he need it. He's not consciously making such a decision, but he's glad he did when Aaron arrives with hunched shoulders and slow footsteps. He tilts his head towards the pint he left on the part of the bar nearest to them, not wanting to appear like assumed Aaron would stay long enough to have a drink with him, always trying to tread carefully where it counts.

“Wasn't sure you'd show up,” he says, giving him a hint of a smile.

“I'm not the one flouncing out of places,” he grunts back.

“I can't believe you'd think – I didn't – ” Robert splutters before Aaron sits opposite him and simply glances up and he realises he's just kidding. His dimples pop as he looks away from the flicker of amusement dancing in Aaron's eyes. He misses the teasing, giving as good as they get, something fierce. He curls his hand around the bottom of his glass and leans forward. “I don't _flounce_ out,” he says, dropping his voice low, “If anything, I storm. Sounds familiar too.”

He can't help it, can't help wanting to flirt to get close to the beautifully brave man sitting across from him and there's an awkward beat of semi-embarrassed silence, the pub bustling on around them, and they each take a drink before Robert rests his hand on the table. “So, can I ask why you said yes to us meeting for a drink?” 

Aaron shrugs. “We're mates, aren't we.” Robert nods once, but Aaron must see that he looks less than convinced because he sighs loudly. “Just summat Cain said, alright?”

“Cain? What did he have to say for himself? Sorry,” he adds, softer, as Aaron levels him with a look that says he expects Robert to be bitchy about him. “You don't have to tell me if you don't want to.”

“S'nothing. Just that...maybe I shouldn't worry so much about protecting my mum.”

“We're all worried,” he jokes lightly then falls serious again. “But he is right. Yeah, I know, pigs are flying,” he says in response to Aaron's slight raise of his eyebrows, “It's scaring me how good he's being in all of this. Although, I guess he'd probably say the same about me.” His heart pulls as Aaron goes back to staring at the beermat underneath his pint. “What I'm trying to say is, we're here for you no matter what. And I'll come with you to the hearing, if you like. Whatever you want. You're in control.”

He watches Aaron's dark eyelashes flutter and would keep talking gently if he knew what else would reassure, but his very breath is stolen when Aaron moves his hand onto the table. They aren't touching at all, but their wrists are lined up and Robert imagines Aaron can see his pulse jumping as he feels the phantom memory of the warmth of his skin. Their eyes lock and Robert lifts his index finger when Aaron suddenly drains his pint and slides out of the booth. He's relieved to see him stand at the bar to buy another one and, despite the longing that sings through his blood – a mantra of _protect protect love_ \- every time Aaron's near, he's pleased that their conversation isn't over. He means every word he says and if that's to going with Aaron tomorrow then not a lot is going to stop him.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


End file.
